Victory Drive, World War 1 Memorial

Victory Drive, World War I Memorial

Located on the northwest corner of Daffin Park/Victory Drive, the World War I Memorial is a rough cut granite stone with vertical bronze plaque; the plaque is rectangular with crest extension; it lists the Chatham County Honor Roll (those who died in World War I). The crest consists of an eagle with outstretched wings, lighting on a scroll with raised text "Roll of Honor" set on an ovoid, dated cartouche which is nested on a bed of leaves.

Inscriptions include: "Roll of Honor 1914-1918 These palmetto trees were planted and this tablet erected by the Savannah Women's Federation in loving honor of the soldiers, sailors, and marines of Chatham County who died in the Great War for the cause of world liberty" followed by a list of names. "They do not die who serve humanity".

The World War I Memorial Marker was established as a marker for Victory Drive in 1929 by the Savannah Women's Federation. Originally located on the center plat of Victory Drive, now on the northwest corner of Daffin Park, the World War I Memorial is a rough cut granite stone with vertical bronze plaque.

Victory Drive is a 19.82 mile long road which runs from Ogeechee Road to Tybee Island. The Drive was established in 1919 as a memorial military boulevard in honor of the soldiers, sailors, and marines of Chatham County who died in World War I. The Drive has a center plat of grass which is lined with palmettos. The Memorial Marker is located at Waters Road. Victory Drive, in part, consists of a road previously named Estill Avenue. Estill Avenue, in c. 1912, was beautiful with grass and palmettos. This served as a prototype in planning the design of Victory Drive.

In February 1923, the last American troops returned from Europe. The ship's first stop was Savannah. The troops, of about 1,200, were greeted by 75,000 people at the port of Savannah. In honor of the occasion, the Big Duke Alarm Bell was rung, the Washington Guns were fired, and the governor of Georgia was present.

In 1932, Victory Drive was paved with asphalt. In 1935, the Drive was redefined as a boulevard, which resulted in more stringent traffic controls. In 1935, the Park & Tree Commission planted 317 palmettos along the Drive from Bull Street to Hopkins Avenue. In 1960-61, the State resurfaced a portion of the Drive. This resulted in the removal of the middle grass plat from that section. At about the same time, turn lanes and traffic lights were added at the intersections of Bull Street and Bee Road. By 1983, 360 palmettos remained along the Drive. In 1990, 65 palmettos ere removed to accommodatethe new Truman Parkway.